What do you do that you earn six figures?

r/financialindependence • u/fidgit86 • Aug 13 '21

It seems like a lot of people make a lot of money and it seems like I’m missing out on something. So those of you that do, whats your occupation that pays so well?

15k Upvotes

90% Upvoted

View all comments

651

u/danxthexman 32M / 68% SR Aug 13 '21

Accounting

25

u/ScaredBorderCollie Aug 13 '21

Yup. Public for me.

17

u/Big4steve2 Aug 13 '21

U gonna get out anytime soon? Working in public definitely makes you consider the value of your time.

23

u/ScaredBorderCollie Aug 13 '21

Honestly, not really. I'm in a mid size local firm with an actual work - life balance, and competitive pay and benefits. After having my second kid I scaled back my book of business, and I max at 55 hours a week during my most hectic time, just a few times a year. 4 weeks vacation, banked overtime, summer Fridays off. It's a pretty good gig, I'm going on 11 years.

8

u/mtzdfw9 Aug 13 '21

Same here. Avoided Big4 and started out at a large local firm and have been there ever since (16 yrs). It took me 6 years to break 100k and am now currently a shareholder. I love it. Actual work-life balance, paid OT, every other Friday off during non busy season, 4 weeks PTO, etc.

2

u/ScaredBorderCollie Aug 13 '21

...Are you my coworker?

Congrats to you btw!

1

u/flamus4 29d ago

Paid OT??? Is this common in local firms?

2

u/mtzdfw9 29d ago

In my market it is becoming more common especially amongst the local firms. As has been stated earlier, there is a labor shortage so it’s become a sellers market thus salaries and benefits are up

2

u/Big4steve2 Aug 13 '21

Rock on nice!

3

u/wannabecpa93 Aug 13 '21

How long have you been in public? I left for industry last year and it has been a game changer.

5

u/Momoselfie Aug 13 '21

Same pay, fewer hours. Best change ever. I wouldn't stay in public unless I was fairly certain I'd make partner one day.

4

u/wannabecpa93 Aug 13 '21

I agree, I’d still rather be a CFO at a shitty mid-size company and make the same amount as a partner at B4 most of the time.

3

u/Momoselfie Aug 13 '21

Yeah our partners didn't have lives outside of work. It was obvious they were the type who preferred to be at work instead of home, which isn't me at all.

1

u/neaux2135 31 M - SR = 46% Aug 13 '21

Mid-market CFOs certainly don't make as much as B4 partners. Not even close, but I would much rather said CFO positions.

1

u/MinskyMomentum Aug 13 '21

Plenty do (and some substantially more) especially when you consider profits interest/equity grants. To your point, the median mid market CFO likely does make less.

1

u/MinskyMomentum Aug 13 '21

This is the way. Although if you’re at a “shitty” middle market private business, you probably won’t make as much as a b4 partner. Lots of mid market CFOs do though - there is a high pay variance based on skill set, role definition, company trajectory, etc.

3

u/ScaredBorderCollie Aug 13 '21

I'm definitely nowhere near big 4, and am on what I'd call an extended partner track, self imposed while my kids are little. I'll ramp up later. Or maybe not. I'm extremely happy now, and have a ton of autonomy. I reassess every year and regularly interview elsewhere but tbh I couldn't find the same flexibility and freedom I enjoy now.

1

u/wannabecpa93 Aug 13 '21

That’s awesome! Small firm? I worked at a small firm before I worked at B4 and I really liked the dynamics. It just sucked there was a mass exodus and it made the workload essentially same as B4 which is why I switched.

2

u/danxthexman 32M / 68% SR Aug 13 '21

I ended up getting lucky and started with a governmental utility that in my opinion pays better than governmental does.